The Elemental

by Sara Galadari

  How many more of Professor Neptune’s men were out there? Yun Zeru’s?

  She broke out in a cold sweat.

  How many people were involved?

  No, it wasn’t over.

  It was far from over.

  She watched as her Dad broke forward and ran toward her Mama and her toddler-self, scooping them in his arms and wrapping them in a tight hug.

  Her family.

  They were safe. For the time being, they were safe.

  The rest of her family ran towards them, momentary relief and disbelief washing over their helpless panic and taking over, embracing each other in a tight squeeze.

  Helia stood watching the group solemnly.

  It all felt so surreal.

  Her Mama broke away from everyone, and pulled closer towards her.

  She saved them all.

  She grasped her hands tightly in hers, and she looked into Helia’s eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for saving my family.”

  Helia’s grave façade broke at her words. She turned her head away. “I did it,” she uttered softly, pulling her hands away from her Mama’s. “I did it…”

  With that, she collapsed, deep, heavy sobs wracking through her body, a battered Aether Stone hanging from her neck.

  “Aileh?” Elara’s voice shook. The room was deafeningly silent, a stark contrast to the horrible screams that only moments ago were reverberating against the old, marble walls.

  Helia shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. She lifted her head up slowly to meet her Mama’s eyes. Her eyes were heavy, glistening with tears as she smiled shakily at the name she had given to herself, hiding her identity in plain sight.

  “No,” She uttered. She looked at her toddler-self, and then back at her Mama.

  She watched as her Mama’s eyes darted to the Aether stone around her neck. Her old brown leather satchel hung around her shoulder, and Helia shifted the bag forwards. Her eyes widened as she recognized her old satchel.

  She frowned, confused. “How… How did you get this?”

  Helia looked back at her, her eyes wide. She slowly stood back up, her knees trembling in anticipation. She had waited her whole life for this moment. Everything she had ever done, all of the hardships she had faced, all of the loss, all of the grief… It was all for this moment.

  “It’s mine,” she murmured. “You told me to not let go, remember?”

  “Not let go?” her Mama spoke softly, confused. Those words sounded so familiar to her. She studied Helia, her eyes raking over the young woman. She stared at the sullen woman, her short, dark, wavy hair messily hanging around her face in damp clumps. Her sunken eyes were hard. They were the eyes that had seen far too much. The eyes of someone who had to grow up far too fast. Far too soon.

  Her eyes…

  They were hauntingly familiar.

  “I promised you I wouldn’t let go,” Helia repeated, her voice breaking.

  She could see toddler shaking in her Mama’s arms, and her arms tightened around her comfortingly.

  “We have to go,” Uncle Noiro urged, interrupting their exchange.

  Her Mama shook her head, turning to Uncle Noiro.

  “We have to go,” he pressed again, his eyes zipping agitatedly at the dead bodies before them. “We need to get to the Diadem before—”

  “Wait.” Her Mama shook Uncle Noiro’s hand off of her arm. She looked at Helia.

  “I promised I would keep it safe,” she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. Her hand dropped down to the old, battered pendant around her neck. “I’ve kept it safe… All this time… You died for me. You died so many times over for me…”

  Her Mama breathed in sharply.

  Take Mama’s bag—that’s right, good girl. Don’t you let go, all right? Whatever you do, don’t let go. Keep it safe with you.

  “Who are you?” she whispered.

  “It’s me,” said Helia, her voice suddenly firm and true. She looked at her toddler-self, reaching out to touch her arm, and then lifted her head to gaze at her Mama. “It’s me, Mama.”

  THE AUTHOR

  Sara Galadari is the author of City of Stars, The Pigeon Chronicles, and The Elemental. Born in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, she often spent her youth visiting libraries and checking out dozens of books at a time (taking advantage of her both of her brothers’ library cards as well to cheat the system and check out more books for the week), and aspired to become a writer from a young age. After taking an interest in psychology and exploring the science behind human connection and behavior, she eventually went on to get her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science in Communication from Portland State University.

  When not writing, Sara enjoys binge-watching TV shows, discovering new restaurants, travelling the world, exploring museums, mastering insane rollercoasters, and memorizing choreographies. Sara lives in Dubai with her husband and son.